'Godmother' of Chongqing crime gang sentenced to 18 years

• Source: Global Times
• [08:13 November 04 2009]
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Xie Caiping is escorted to leave the court after the sentences in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Nov. 3, 2009. Organized crime boss Xie Caiping, labeled the "godmother of the underworld" in Chongqing, was sentenced to 18 years in prison Tuesday. The other 21 accomplices, including officials who offered protection to gang members, were given jail terms ranging from one to 13 years in sentences by the Chongqing No. 5 Intermediate People's Court.(Xinhua photo)

By Song Shengxia

The only known female crime boss busted during the recent crackdown on organized crime in Chongqing was sentenced Tuesday to 18 years in prison and fined 1.02 million yuan ($43,950).

Xie Caiping, 46, sister-in-law of Wen Qiang, the former director of the Chongqing Municipal Judicial Bureau, was convicted by the Chongqing No. 5 Intermediate People's Court for organizing and leading a gang, running illegal casinos, harboring people taking illegal narcotics, illegal detention and bribing officials.

Xie's brother-in-law was the highest-ranking official arrested in September for alleged involvement with the underworld gangs in Chongqing.

Wen will be prosecuted in November.

Since 2004, Xie was supervised a gang of 20 mobsters and ex-convicts running underworld gambling businesses and harboring those who took drugs, reaping more than 2 million yuan ($294,000) in illegal gains.

The gambling halls offered free narcotics to attract and excite gamblers so that the gang could earn more money.

Xie's 26-year old lover, Luo Xuan, 20 years younger than the female crime boss, received four and a half years prison term.

The self-proclaimed gigolo was found guilty of involvement in the underworld operation, running illegal gambling dens and illegally detaining people.

He was fined 200,000 yuan ($29,290).